Walmart is pulling all guns and ammunition from their shelves in preparation of potential civil unrest that could happen as a result of the 2020 election. This is a temporary situation being put in place as a safety precaution due to the amount of civil unrest, looting, and protests gone wrong that have occurred in more recent times. It’s unclear when the items will be placed back on the store shelves.
Walmart sent an email statement that said: “We have seen some isolated civil unrest and as we have done on several occasions over the last few years, we have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers. These items do remain available for purchase by customers.”
Consumers can still purchase the products in stores where they are normally sold, but the customer will have to request it as the items will not be on shelves as usual.
Out of the 4,700 Walmart stores across the country, there are firearms and ammunition sold in about half of those locations.
Many Americans might question the temporary measure Walmart has put in place, but a recent poll by USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll might help explain some of the concerns.
Their poll results suggest that 3/4 Americans are worried about possible violence that could take place on election day, depending on who wins the election, of course.
Three of 4 voters express concern about the possibility of violence on Election Day. Only 1 in 4 say they are “very confident” that the nation will have a peaceful transfer of power if Democratic challenger Joe Biden defeats President Donald Trump.
“There’s a very angry undertone out there right now,” said Monica Ponton, 72, of St. Petersburg, Florida. The registered nurse, a Democrat who was called in the survey, has already cast her ballot for Biden. “I’m in my 70s, and I feel like this is one of the scariest times I’ve ever seen for America since possibly (President) Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis” in 1962.
It appears that Walmart’s precautionary measure might prevent the theft of said items in the event of any civil unrest.